These adventurers just have amazingly great beards

A good adventure takes a while – that’s why it’s a perfect time to grow a highly impressive beard.

By Josh Sampiero on 5 August 2015

It goes almost without saying: beards are often an indicator of awesomeness – and in the world of adventure, you'll find some particularly awesome ones. After all, it makes sense: having an adventure – like rowing across the Atlantic – often means conveniences like shaving play second fiddle to things like rowing, and, you know, eating. Here's seven awesome beards attached to people we think are even more awesome.

1. Sean Conway and his big red beard

Who: South African adventurer Sean Conway Beard style: Big, bushy, and red Why he's cool: Conway's endurance feats of legend include much more than simply dealing with itchy facial hair for incredibly long periods of time – he's swam, biked and run from John O'Groats to Land's End in the UK (that's 1,400 km.)

2. This icy snow-beard

Who: Surfer Brad Tunis, seen here in Indiana Beard style: Freezing cold Why he's awesome: We're pretty sure the pic says it all – surfing? In Lake Michigan? In winter? With that kind of dedication, we're sure Tunis could manhandle any kind of beard. Photographer Mike Killion – who submitted this shot to Red Bull Illume in 2010 – says "We're used to getting ice on our wetsuit or face in the winter while surfing Lake Michigan, but I'd never seen anyone as covered as Brad was. This was after a few hours of surfing small, glassy, waist to chest high waves and Brad had come in to get warm."

Please note: he said a few hours.

3. The classic lumberjack

Who: Snowboarder Pat Moore from New Hampshire, USABeard style: Let's call this the Paul BunyanReasons to be jealous: Pat – who grew up around one of the areas Paul Bunyan was claimed to have lived – is a snowboarder through and through. But he's not just any shredder – he's tackled some of the biggest lines in the sport. Check 'im out in the Blueprint 2 series, exploring the Alaskan backcountry.

4. The real Forrest Gump

Who: Real-life Forrest Gump, Patrick Sweeney Beard style: Simple, rustic, sexy Why he's awesome: The often-barefoot runner completed an epic run across America earlier this year – sleeping in jail cells (willingly) and even getting shot at (not willingly.) The beard – which he shaved the day before his trip – grew into this luscious mane you see above.

5. ‘The Naked Guy’ Anton Krupicka

Who: Famous endurance runner Anton Krupicka Beard style: New-age mountain man Why he's awesome: Krupicka gained fame for living out of his truck in the high Colorado mountains – and running in not much else but shoes, shorts and, of course, beard. A two-time winner of the legendary Leadville 100 ultra-marathon, he's also a climber and backcountry skier. And essentially never seen without his facial hair.

6. This guy’s beard after crossing the Atlantic...

Who: Aleksander Doba, Polish trans-Atlantic paddler Beard style: Unkempt ocean voyagerWhy he's awesome: Aleksander Doba, also known as Olek, was the People's Choice Nat Geo Adventurer Of The Year, chosen for his epic Atlantic crossing. Making it more impressive? Doba was well past retirement age when he did it – 67 years old. While he was bearded when he began, there's a stark difference from his neatly-coiffed look at the beginning of the trip to the images you see here, after five months at sea.

7. Endurance adventurer Alex Bellini

Who: Alex Bellini, who might be the craziest person on the planet Beard style: FullWhy he's awesome: The list of reasons is long – but his plan to live on an iceberg until it melts is probably top.He's also run across America and paddled across the Atlantic – twice. We'd say that qualifies him as an adventurer – and that beast on his face definitely qualifies as an epic beard. Would not mess with this guy.

8. Jamie is running

Who: Long-distance runner, Jamie RamsayBeard style: Natural, rugged styleWhy he’s awesome: Look at that grin! Brit Jamie, decided to embark on a solo run from Vancouver to Buenos Aires - that's 18,000km! He runs an average of 40km a day and should to finish in Spring next year. He is still going strong and has developed this wild beard in the process.

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